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Natural selection
Natural Selection is the mechanism by means of which random mutations of the DNA of individuals in a population of one species result in the non-random survival of those individuals in whom the mutation confers an advantage over those without the mutation. While it is believed that most mutations are lethal, resulting in the individual's death, some mutations are not, and can prove helpful to the individual. For example, if a mutation in a gene changed the colour of a pale coloured moth to black, the population might, over time, evolve a preponderance of black individuals if that helped them to hide more effectively from predators. This was actually observed in England where a speckled light brown species of moth became black over time during a period when the Industrial Revolution had coated many trees and buildings in black soot against which a white moth would stand out clearly to any predator. See Peppered moth evolution Minor and major changes Over time natural selection not only results in minor changes in a population, but can result in the evolution of a new species when part of a population is isolated from the rest for geographical or other reasons. Darwin’s finches The great genius Charles Darwin, who coined the term, noticed how certain species of finches in the Galapagos Islands, that did not exist anywhere else, seemed to be related. He hypothesized that a pair of one species of finch may have been blown to the isolated islands from the mainland of South America during a storm. As mutations occurred in the population over time, in the absence of competition from any other species of birds, the birds gradually occupied habitat niches ordinarily occupied by woodpeckers (strong, long bill for digging in rotten wood for insects), insect-eating birds (small with thin bills), and seed-eating birds (short, heavy, strong bill for cracking seeds). Gradually isolated from each other by different habits and needs, the birds eventually evolved into several different species. Marsupials The same has been observed of Australia, where a number of different marsupial species have evolved. Presumably, when a land bridge connected Australia to Indonesia, an ancestral marsupial had arrived on the shores of Australia. After oceans rose and the island continent became isolated from the rest of the world, this first marsupial species evolved to fit a number of different niches, including that of the dog-like Tasmanian Devil. Monkeys, Apes and Humans Humans evolved from apes. Monkeys and apes were always considered ridiculous because their appearance and seemed to parody humans. Creationists do not want to be linked to monkeys and apes. Young Earth Creationist Intelligent Design Born-Again View of Natural Selection Natural Selection is just one more example of liberal deceit. God is responsible for every little mutation that takes place, and plans them carefully in advance to develop the new species that are needed in His Plan. When He makes a mistake and things don't go according to plan, he drowns almost all living things by means of a Great Flood and starts over. He planned the mutations that resulted in Noah's family evolving into Asians, illegal aliens and the other races of the world. And He created those finches in the Galapagos from scratch in the very Beginning on one of the six days of Creation and put them there to test the faith of Darwin and his fellow liberals. They didn't pass the test. See also *Animal behaviour External links *Natural selection People who can't understand natural selection after this clear introduction from Berkley University probably don't want to see reality. Category:science Category:Evolution